This invention relates to a work top air cleaner and more particularly to a work top air cleaner for use in the removal of obnoxious fumes and dust generated during the nail treatment of a customer.
The treatment of human nails for esthetic purposes generally involves the application of a liquid acrylic which sets to produce a nail-like member or a wrap which may be a suitable material such as silk, fiber glass, linen or the like coated with an acrylic or other material designed to set and produce a nail-like member. Regardless of the technique involved, however, the roughly formed nail must be filed or ground down to the shape desired and one or more coats of nail polish must be applied to complete the nail in a form which is esthetically pleasing to the customer.
The acrylic and other liquids employed give off distasteful or obnoxious fumes and the trimming of the nails, accomplished by cutters and files, emits dust particles which are similarly objectionable, and in fact, could be harmful to the technician who is exposed to such materials over extended periods.
It is current practice to permit the obnoxious fumes and particulate laden air to disperse without any positive effort to remove them, while the dust collecting in the work area is occasionally swept away with a brush and a dust pan.
Other efforts have been made to remove these materials on an ongoing basis but they have been unsuccessful largely due to compromises designed to minimize noise disturbance, cost, and other disadvantages associated with such attempts.
A variety of air removal systems in other types of operations are shown in some U.S. patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,530 shows an air removal system for use in a so-called clean room. U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,925 shows a clean air arrangement for a hair dryer involving a filter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,144 discloses a unit which removes dust using an overhead collector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,081 shows a unit for use with a grinder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,054 teaches a dust pickup which uses interchangeable nozzles.
None of the aforementioned arrangements are suitable for use in nail treatment areas, either because they are too noisy, tend to interfere with the procedures involved, or lack the effectiveness within a limited area which is required for the unique circumstances surrounding nail treatment procedures.